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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27554644">a lot to unpack</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/amberlazuli/pseuds/amberlazuli'>amberlazuli</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>HELIOS Rising Heroes (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Fuck Or Die, M/M, Sex Pollen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:35:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,329</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27554644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/amberlazuli/pseuds/amberlazuli</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He pointedly kept his eyes down as the door slammed shut behind him, part of him still reluctant to admit that this was happening and that he was <em>somehow</em> involved.</p><p>Not that...well.  Maybe it was selfish to worry about his own feelings when someone’s life was apparently literally on the line, but he’d been doing a damn good job so far of <em>not </em>thinking too hard about anything to do with feelings.</p><p>Especially feelings for his so-called best friend.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Faith Beams/Billy Wise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a lot to unpack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a general note that while both of them are consenting in this fic, the nature of the sex pollen trope by itself does tend to lean towards dubious consent regardless of that so this is your warning!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Dammit, move faster!”</p><p>“I still don’t know what this is about!” Faith tried to dig his heels in but the other man was apparently a lot stronger than he looked, considering he was all but dragging Faith down the hallway.  </p><p>“You’ll find out when we get there,” was all the reply he got, growled out in a way that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.  “Hurry the fuck up!”</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Faith decided it wasn’t worth it to argue, though part of him felt as though he <em>maybe </em>should have been paying more attention to Gray...Jet?...this was probably Jet, from the little he’d retained, but Gray was <em>quiet </em>to the best of his knowledge--and not scarily strong.  </p><p>The frantic undercurrent to his voice didn’t match up with any of Faith’s memories, though, and that actually <em>did </em>make him worry.  “Why are you…”</p><p>“Because Gray wouldn’t be able to get you to move on his own, so I have to do it,” Jet yanked his wrist hard enough to hurt and shoved him through a door.  “Don’t come out until this is fixed or you’re fucking <em>dead.”</em></p><p>Faith didn’t get a chance to reply before the door slammed behind him, but <em>that </em>little interaction was enough to let him know that he never wanted to cross Jet if he could help it.  </p><p>He adjusted his clothes absently, settling his headphones more comfortably around his neck, and realized he was in what passed for Victor’s office.  There was still nothing out of the ordinary...well, not any more out of the ordinary than usual, but Victor even looked a little ruffled when he slipped through one of the doors on the opposite side of the room.  </p><p>“Ah, you’re here.”</p><p>“What’s going on?” he asked softly, growing more concerned with each passing moment.  He didn’t like feeling <em>fear</em>, but the more people refused to tell him anything, the more his worries started to gnaw at his normally unruffled exterior.  </p><p>“There was an attack during one of the patrols today,” Victor sat down and sighed, absently fixing his hair.  “From what I was able to discern, the substance that was released appears to bear some resemblance to a very potent aphrodisiac.”</p><p>“O...kay?” Faith blinked.  “That doesn’t sound awful, like...it’ll wear off, right?”</p><p>“Unfortunately, that seems to not be the case in this instance,” Victor sighed.  “The human body is resilient, but it can only endure a heightened state of arousal for a limited amount of time.  It appears this particular compound...well, it won’t dissipate unless a sample from another person is introduced.”</p><p>“So what, I have to jerk off in a cup or something?” Faith wrinkled his nose.  “I mean, fine, but why me?”</p><p>“I suppose that’s a viable alternative,” Victor hummed and jotted something down on a nearby notepad.  “But there’s also the option of getting more...physically involved.”</p><p>“And why would I want to do that?” Faith knew he sounded defensive, but this was already turning into much more effort than he’d planned on exerting today.  </p><p>“Because there’s still a rather large chance that your proposed solution may not be effective, and the longer we procrastinate, the more the level of danger rises,” Victor stood in one smooth motion.  </p><p>“Okay, fair enough, but you still haven’t told me anything useful,” Faith yawned.  </p><p>“I believe if you consider both who came to fetch you and who might ask for your...services in this matter, the answer should be <em>abundantly </em>clear,” Victor’s tone was even and dry and Faith didn’t <em>really </em>want to piss <em>him</em> off, either, so he tried to focus for a bit. </p><p>And it wasn’t as though he didn’t already have <em>some </em>idea, considering everything, but that didn’t mean…</p><p>“Fine, whatever,” he stood up and stretched.  “Let’s get this over with.”</p><p>“I trust you’ll be able to handle things by yourself,” Victor gestured in the direction of the door he’d entered from and Faith took a deep breath.  “Everything you require should be in the room already.”</p><p>“Sure,” he replied, though he was decidedly <em>not </em>sure how to feel about that since it meant there were always just...sex supplies on-hand at Helios.  Maybe it was practical, but…</p><p>He pointedly kept his eyes down as the door slammed shut behind him, part of him still reluctant to admit that this was happening and that he was <em>somehow</em> involved.  </p><p>Not that...well.  Maybe it was selfish to worry about his own feelings when someone’s life was apparently literally on the line, but he’d been doing a damn good job so far of <em>not </em>thinking too hard about anything to do with feelings.  </p><p>Especially feelings for his so-called best friend.  </p><p>But now…</p><p>He slowly raised his eyes, steeling himself for anything, but what he saw still wasn’t something he could have been prepared for. </p><p>“Shit,” he whispered before he could help himself.  He hadn’t expected the room to be <em>quite </em>so much like a torture chamber, for one thing, but Billy was literally strapped to what looked like an examination bed, stripped naked and drenched in sweat, and even as Faith watched, his entire body convulsed before settling down again.  </p><p>“Uh…”</p><p>“DJ?” Billy’s voice trembled as he focused bleary eyes on Faith.  “You came…”</p><p>“I mean, your roommate didn’t exactly give me much choice,” Faith rubbed the back of his neck.  “How’d you get into this mess, anyway?”</p><p>“Ah,” Billy shifted against the bed.  “They just looked like normal Eclipse creatures but then the one shot out this like...yellow gunk and hit me right in the face.  I guess that’s all it took~” he attempted to smile but it soon turned into a grimace as his body shook again.  “I can’t…”</p><p>“Woah, hey,” Faith set his headphones down on a nearby table and moved closer. He hadn’t really registered the strong scent of sex in the air until now but it was almost overwhelming the nearer he got. “What…”</p><p>“It happens every few minutes,” Billy was trembling hard enough that the entire bed was vibrating, which probably explained why he was strapped down.  “I’m not even...it’s just dry now,” he hiccuped and let out a gasp, eyes squeezed shut and cock pulsing though, true to his word, nothing came of it.  “DJ…” he whispered then, like he was too spent to talk at his normal volume. </p><p>“Mm,” Faith stepped up beside the bed.  </p><p>“You don’t have to.  I don’t even remember asking for you, or maybe I’m just so obvious that I didn’t need to,” he grinned weakly.  “But if you’re going to, can you make it quick?  I don’t...know how much more I can take.”</p><p>“You seem...okay now,” Faith hesitated before reaching to touch Billy’s shoulder.  It was all clammy with sweat and Billy looked up at him curiously.  “This isn’t...I don’t…”</p><p>“If it helps,” Billy licked his lips, tongue catching briefly on his too-sharp canines.  “I want this.  Maybe not...<em>like </em>this.  But I’m totally consenting,” he rolled his head to the side, and maybe Faith had just never noticed—or maybe it was because Billy wore those damn goggles all the time—but his eyes were really blue.</p><p><em>Really </em>blue.</p><p>Like, distractingly so.  </p><p>“That’s good,” he said absently, fingers fumbling with the buckle on the closest strap.  “Can I…”</p><p>“I don’t see why not,” Billy’s fingers gripped uselessly at the air until Faith had his arms free.  “Do...do <em>you </em>want…”</p><p>“Aha, well, like you said...not like this,” Faith decided that was all he was willing to admit right now.  “But I’m not going to let you die, so.”</p><p>“A true hero,” Billy must be feeling alright if he can still tease, at least.  He wrapped his arms around Faith’s neck and shivered.  “You smell really good.”</p><p>“Okay,” Faith wasn’t sure what else to say to that.  </p><p>“Sorry,” Billy swallowed heavily.  “That was weird.  I have no filter right now.”</p><p>“Do you ever?” Faith teased, resting his forehead against Billy’s and sighing.  </p><p>“With you?  Never,” Billy laughed, the sound much softer than normal.  “DJ, if you want me to beg, I will, but…”</p><p>“No,” Faith gently unwound Billy’s arms and laid him back.  “I’m just out of my element here.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Billy gripped at him again.  “This thing…” he shifted and Faith looked down, seeing that the sheets under him were wet.  “I think it’s like...self-lubricating.  So you won’t need to worry about that.”</p><p>“Ah,” Faith wrinkled his nose and busied himself with undoing his shirt.  “So do I need like...a condom?”</p><p>“I…” Billy stopped, eyes literally glazing over and his back arching unnaturally far as he practically sobbed.</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Faith kicked his pants and underwear off, leaving his clothes in a pile on the floor.  “Hey, look at me.  Breathe,” he said softly.  It seemed to take an immense amount of effort for Billy to focus on him, but he eventually managed it.  </p><p>“It hurts,” he said quietly, like it hurt even <em>more </em>to admit it.  “I’ve got a few minutes, though.  Probably.”</p><p>“Right.  Tell me what I need to do,” Faith didn’t exactly feel <em>awkward </em>being naked, but it still wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on--especially in this room where he wasn’t quite convinced there weren’t cameras <em>somewhere.  </em></p><p>“Lemme say one thing first.  When this is all over and I actually have time to feel embarrassed, I…” he stopped and closed his eyes.  “Don’t be too hard on me.”</p><p>And it was <em>wrong</em>.  It was wrong for Billy to sound vulnerable, to be ashamed like this.  Faith leaned over to hug him, pulling him half-upright and letting Billy cling to him for real this time.  “This wasn’t your fault, y’know?  Nobody could have known this would happen.”</p><p>“Still, I never exactly planned on coming in front of so many people.  Multiple times,” he added, mostly speaking to Faith’s shoulder.  </p><p>“Yeah, it’s shitty,” Faith squeezed him tighter.  “I mean, sex has always been kinda meh for me, but not having a choice would have been worse,” he paused, not <em>really </em>sure if he was helping.  </p><p>“I’m still your first guy though, right~?”</p><p>He could <em>feel </em>Billy’s lips turn up against his neck and he laughed softly.  </p><p>“Yeah.  So help me out here,” he repeated, and Billy pulled back enough to look at him.  “How do you want this to go?”</p><p>“Uh,” Billy shook his head.  “I mean, my fantasies were all <em>way </em>more romantic.”</p><p>“Romantic?” Faith snorted.  “Who exactly <em>was </em>fantasy!me?”</p><p>“Well, there’s a reason it’s a fantasy,” Billy hooked one leg around his waist.  “I think you need to...I mean, I don’t think it’ll work with a condom.”</p><p>“Yeah, not from what Victor said,” Faith admitted.  “I’m pretty sure I’m clean though, like...I’ve never gone without protection since the <em>last</em> thing I need is kids running around.”</p><p>“Charming,” Billy tugged at his hair.  “You can use lube on yourself if you want.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure,” Faith fumbled with the bottle on the side table.  He was hard already, though he was guessing that was a side-effect of being so close to Billy and the intense amount of arousal he was emanating.</p><p>Or well.  That was what he told himself.  </p><p>“You look like you’re thinking too hard,” Billy’s voice pulled him back to reality.  “What’s up?”</p><p>“Nothing much.  Just that it’s a good thing I’m used to getting hard quick,” he said it casually, shifting a little and shuddering when his fingers slid through the slick puddle under Billy.  “Ew.”</p><p>“I’m not going to take offense to that,” Billy decided.  “Though the other stuff you’re implying here is a lot to unpack.”</p><p>“So don’t,” Faith decided to let instinct take over and lined them up properly, damn near bending Billy in half so he could slide in at a good angle.  It was easy, thankfully, and Billy practically went limp in his arms.  “Okay?”</p><p>“Don’t, like, take this as a compliment for your dick or anything, but that feels <em>really </em>good~” Billy shuddered again but it was purely pleasure this time, all hazy-eyed and mouth hanging open just enough to show his fangs.  And Faith had heard him bash on his own appearance more than enough times by now, but honestly, he was <em>way </em>cuter than he gave himself credit for.</p><p>Not that he’d say it out loud, of course. </p><p>“Always knew I had a magic dick~” Faith replied, as smug as he could make it, and Billy groaned and covered his eyes.  “C’mere, let’s just…”</p><p>He pulled Billy practically into his lap, and it was <em>close</em>, but for whatever reason it didn’t bother him much.  The chance that Billy would remember much of this whole thing was slim, after all, so it wouldn’t hurt to indulge him for a bit. </p><p>“Is that okay?” </p><p>Billy was basically wrapped around him now, legs and arms locked around his back.  </p><p>“Yeah.  Hurry,” he was starting to tremble again and Faith vowed to himself that this would be the last time, and that he’d make it as good as he possibly could.  </p><p>“Figured you wouldn’t have the energy to do much,” Faith added, and he <em>might </em>have picked this position because it meant <em>he </em>didn’t have to do much, either, but gravity was his friend here and he knew Billy could feel it.</p><p>“If I fall asleep on you, don’t hold it against me,” Billy mumbled, though he <em>was </em>still hard so Faith figured that meant they had to finish this properly. </p><p>“Hang on,” he rocked his hips experimentally, gauging how much range of motion he really had.  It wasn’t much, but again, he’d basically trained himself to not <em>need </em>much.  </p><p>“Is this closer to your fantasies?” he couldn’t help himself from asking that one and Billy grunted, absently chewing on his shoulder.  “Hey!  I’m trying, here!”</p><p>“It’s good,” Billy assured him, but Faith could still tell he was holding back.  </p><p>Well, he couldn’t be bothered about that now, and especially not when Billy sat up a little more, hands on his shoulders and giving him a rather serious look.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“No offense, but you kind of suck at this.  Those girls must <em>really </em>love your face,” Billy unwound himself a little, bracing his body with his knees instead.  </p><p>“I was trying to make it easier for you!”</p><p>“I can handle this much,” Billy rolled his hips and Faith had never <em>really </em>appreciated how flexible he was, even though he’d seen the tricks and flips he pulled regularly with those cyber strings of his, but he was sure noticing now.  </p><p>He wasn’t really riding Faith so much as <em>writhing </em>on him, and Faith’s grip on his hips tightened because he was sure Billy would dislodge himself otherwise.  He guessed that maybe he shouldn’t be surprised at how frantic it was, since no doubt at this point Billy just wanted to get this whole thing over and done with, but that combined with his earlier comments might have hurt his pride a <em>little </em>bit -- the fact that everything was true notwithstanding, of course.</p><p>Faith pulled Billy in more, finally rising up to meet him, and the choked-off noise Billy let out was more than a little satisfying.  That was what he deserved for trying to imply Faith was a bad lover, after all.</p><p>“I…” Billy kept grinding down in a way that was downright pornographic, desperate for release again, and all Faith could think of to do was hold him steady and let him quite literally ride it out.  </p><p>He did, coming dry again, but the tightening of his muscles was enough to push Faith over the edge and he let that sweet feeling of release rush over him, forgetting for a moment about even the odd set of circumstances that had led them to this place.  </p><p>Billy immediately scrambled off of him, <em>totally </em>ruining the afterglow, but he was smiling and Faith noticed that he wasn’t hard anymore.  </p><p>“I think it worked,” his voice was still shaky, but it was purely with relief this time.  “Thanks, DJ.”</p><p>“I mean, I’d say ‘anytime’, but try not to get hit with robot sex pollen again,” he skimmed a hand down Billy’s side and tried not to feel hurt when the other man puled away.  </p><p>“Shower,” Billy decided, legs as shaky as a newborn foal when he hopped off the bed, but then he was gone and Faith was left wondering if that was a statement or an invitation.  </p><p>Either way, a shower didn’t sound like a bad idea.</p><p>-</p><p>They ended up in his bed afterward, much to Billy’s apparent chagrin, but Victor had been firm about keeping Billy under observation until at least the next morning and the closer Faith was, the easier it would be to handle any potential lingering side-effects that might show up unexpectedly.  </p><p>Junior was out playing some gig so they had privacy, and while Faith had assumed Billy would pass out for the next twelve hours at least, he was strangely awake and--even more strangely--completely silent.  </p><p>“Gotta admit, I figured you’d be a little happier about your fantasies coming true,” he passed over a bottle of some sort of energy drink, which was also something Victor had been adamant about him consuming, and Billy sipped idly at it before stretching.  </p><p>He was still naked, because his clothes had been drenched in the yellow gunk and they basically needed to be fumigated before it was safe for him to touch them again, but he had immediately wrapped himself in Faith’s sheets and seemed content to stay there.</p><p>“I’ve had a long day, DJ~” Billy dodged the question, finishing about half of the drink before setting it aside.  “So I’m gonna sleep!”</p><p>“Billy,” Faith knew him well enough to know he was hiding something, and that it was probably important.  He didn’t <em>want </em>to push, but the last thing he wanted was for this to turn things awkward between them, especially since...well, to put it bluntly, most of the people he’d slept with, he’d never seen again.  </p><p>“How can I resist when you use that tone with me?” Billy hummed, reaching a hand out and breathing out slowly once Faith took it.  “I’m processing.  None of that was how I wanted this to go, and there’s a preeeeeetty big part of me that would have preferred it never happened at all.”</p><p>“Why?  I thought I sucked at sex,” Faith leaned over him and Billy stared up at him, tipping his head back but not making the final move, and it was only then that Faith realized they hadn’t actually kissed yet.  </p><p>Huh.</p><p>“Only do it if you mean it, DJ,” Billy whispered, though his mouth was pliant when Faith pushed against it, soft and vaguely sweet thanks to the drink he’d been having.  </p><p>“I don’t know what it means,” Faith admitted.  “But it means <em>something</em>.  And if you’re willing to figure it out with me, I guess that’d be alright.”</p><p>“Wow, what a confession,” Billy’s tone was back to his usual teasing so Faith figured he must have said <em>something </em>right.  </p><p>“Hey, I’m trying my best here,” Faith kissed him again, because <em>that </em>at least was easy, and cuddled up close to him under the blankets.  “I’m here if you need me.”</p><p>“I know.  Thank you,” Billy didn’t have to specify what he was thanking Faith <em>for, </em>because Faith got it.  Mostly.  </p><p>“Yeah,” he replied, closing his eyes and deciding that sleep probably wasn’t a bad idea.  It wasn’t like this was magically settled between them or anything, but there was also no going back after today, and it was really up to them what happened next. </p><p>But well, that was something they could figure out later.  </p><p>Besides, he had something to prove now, and next time he’d be <em>way </em>more prepared.</p><p>Next time, he thought as his lips brushed against Billy’s shoulder.  </p><p>Truth be told, he liked the sound of that.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay.  So this was mostly inspired by some fanart I'd seen a couple of months back on loosely the same topic and the idea wouldn't leave me alone, so...*waves hand at this fic*.  That being said, I haven't written anything explicit in months so I hope that I'm not too rusty and I've pretty much come to the conclusion that with the way these characters and their canon relationship is, anything set in an actual canon 'verse will never have a truly happy ending.  </p><p>Still, I hope you enjoyed this if you read it and feel free to let me know your thoughts!  And if you'd like to find me on twitter, I'm <a href="https://twitter.com/EndlessRondo">here!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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